WBB left out of the NCAA Tournament at 22-9, 3rd in B1G edit: WNIT bracket announced

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Extremely, extremely, extremely disappointing and shocking.

Michigan, 22-9 and 11-5 in the B1G which was good for 3rd place, does not make the NCAA Tournament. 

Lost 4 of final 5 games down the stretch. What a shame. Should've been in last year and definitely should've made it this season. 

Being the highest finishing B1G team that did not go to the NCAA Tournament, Michigan receives the automatic bid to the WNIT for the second time in three years.

Michigan had an 0-6 record against the Top-50 RPI. At one time this team seemed a tournament lock and maybe even a First & Second Round host.

The WNIT field will be announced at 9pm and then the bracket will be announced between 11:30 and midnight tonight. Game times will be announced tomorrow.

This will be Michigan's 8th straight postseason appearance, extending the program record streak. This will be the 6th WNIT of the postseason tournaments in that stretch.

Edit:

The WNIT bracket has been announced. Michigan will host Kent State on Thursday in the WNIT First Round, time TBA tomorrow.

Interesting bracket. Potential Second Round game against CMU who is coached by Sue Guevara, the winningest coach in our program's history. 

A potential Quarterfinal rematch with PSU, a game that may have cost us a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Nicole Munger missed a layup that would've ended the game and got the win in that one.

This team certainly has the talent to and should win this WNIT, once and for all. And finally raise their first banner at Crisler.

Link:

http://www.womensnit.com/uploads/2/0/0/5/20054671/2017_post_wnit_bracke…

goblue85

March 13th, 2017 at 7:54 PM ^

Win the wnit been close get banner. They need learn how to finish season down stretch and win few btt games.

BursleyBaitsBus

March 13th, 2017 at 7:57 PM ^

Don't follow WBB closely, but keep up with the headlines. KBA seems to be a good recruiter, but is she a good in game coach? 

The team fell apart this year down the home stretch. Losing that big home game to MSU and then getting kicked out of the BTT by them as well. 

 

Shrugs.. 

Raoul

March 13th, 2017 at 8:24 PM ^

It's hard to figure out, but her teams seem to fall apart down the stretch almost every year. She's piled up a lot of wins in her five years, but how many have been big wins? Never winning a big game is how a team with 22 wins gets left out.

The Big Ten was also by far the worst of the Power 5 conferences in WBB this year. So it's hardly a shocker that only four teams got bids.

Wolverine Devotee

March 13th, 2017 at 8:38 PM ^

They beat UCLA and that's about it after a quick scan of their schedule.

Whoop de do. Michigan beat Purdue by 10 at Mackey and finished higher in the B1G standings. Purdue got in, though.

1975Blue

March 13th, 2017 at 8:02 PM ^

Interesting that Purdue will be facing Borseth's Green Bay team in the first round.  MSU got in as well.  NIT is getting old for Michigan.   

Human Torpedo

March 13th, 2017 at 8:08 PM ^

Everyone throws that term around like a cliche and so easy to do. But there's a reason why the usual suspects are the elite year after year in some sports (I see you UConn). Winning and losing are both contagious throughout a team and program overall. Pressure situations are just so much easier if you been there before AND been successful there repetitively

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

March 13th, 2017 at 9:05 PM ^

so close. Hopefully the shortcoming propels them to win the WNIT and much higher heights next year. KBA needs to break thru and put the team in the top 15 with regularity.

freejs

March 13th, 2017 at 9:05 PM ^

if not for that missed layup, foul in the front court, instant death at PSU. 

Barnes-Arico just seems too wound. Her teams seem to get tight, in my extremely uninformed opinion (I don't catch that many games, but I've seen some games where the tension seems to go directly from the bench to the players on the court). 

 

Solecismic

March 13th, 2017 at 9:21 PM ^

Sorry to see this. I thought they did enough to be secure in a bid, but they did play their worst basketball after breaking into the top 20. Definitely a two-steps-forward, one-step-back kind of year.

It will take more time to gain the type of depth necessary to win those battles with MSU - always physical, always strong in the post.

bacon1431

March 13th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^

Had an epic collapse down the stretch. Can't complain when you lose 4 of 5 and blow opportunities for quality wins. Crazy to think that this is one of the better seasons for WBB historically when you look at the record, but we will miss the tournament

lilpenny1316

March 13th, 2017 at 10:20 PM ^

Seems odd that their tournament did not expand to 68 like the men.  That could've helped them out greatly.  But Cal?  They finished just like us with a worse conference record.  This does not help boost people's interest in the Women's team.

Wolvie3758

March 14th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^

is such a great coach...even BIG coach of the year      yet EVERY season ends in a NIT...I guess if thats your ceiling yeah shes a good coach

MGOTokyo

March 14th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^

I'm not so sure about raising a banner in Crisler for a WNIT victory.  Not sure we want to brag about being the #65 team in the country.  Perhaps playing in this tournament is a good experience for a young team who needs the practice and experience, and a trip, if it comes to NYC might be cool for the players.

It the MBB had missed out on the NCAAs, I would opt for them not to go to the NIT.  Give the guys a rest.  Same w/ football.  I don't see the value in sending us to a "I'm a .500 team" Bowl in Podunk, Iowa.  Michigan should be above these levels of play.  Go 1st class or don't go at all.

Wolverine Devotee

March 14th, 2017 at 8:48 AM ^

lol

The extra practices and game experience is worth it. Only fools decline them. 

Even the CBI is good experience. Go look at VCU and Oregon since they won the CBI. It's not about pride, it's about building.

And the WNIT doesn't go to NYC. Every game is played on campuses. It's not owned by the NCAA like the NIT is.

By the way, we already have NIT banners for 1984 and 2004 hanging in Crisler currently.

matty blue

March 14th, 2017 at 9:12 AM ^

i get that you want to have the biggest goals, but an NIT title is not meaningless.

re: that 1984 NIT title - i remember that as the signal that the program was back on the way up - frieder had been so-so for three years but was amassing some real talent.  it's not an exaggeration to say that the 1984 banner was the start of the 80s / 90s run of elite teams.  a WNIT title might be something similar for the women - with the talent coming back we have the potential to be really, really good for the next few seasons.  national titles might be beyond reckoning, what with geno auriemma around, but B1G titles are not out of the question.

uncle leo

March 14th, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^

But that stuff about how important it is to play in a bowl or post-season for football/basketball mainly because of the extra practices is so overrated.

Okay, so your teams gets 1-3 weeks extra of practice. Your new season starts basically near the tail end of the year with a massive gap between these practices and the new season. By then, the makeup of the team, the coaches, and the method in which you practice will change drastically. Those extra practices may help conditioning a little bit, but in terms of helping the team strategy and the future? Don't see it. One of those age-old concepts that seems to be thrown around without any evidence proving it does a thing.